Marc Garneau died after 'short but very difficult battle' with cancer, former staffer says

4 week_ago 12

Politics

Marc Garneau died this week aft being diagnosed with 2 types of crab earlier this year, said his erstwhile main of unit Marc Roy.

Former astronaut and national furniture curate died connected Wednesday astatine 76

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 05, 2025 5:38 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 5

A antheral with achromatic hairsbreadth and brownish eyes looks implicit the apical of his glasses.

Marc Garneau died this week aft being diagnosed with 2 types of crab earlier this year, his erstwhile staffer says.

The archetypal Canadian to question to abstraction and erstwhile furniture curate died on Wednesday. He was 76.

Marc Roy, Garneau's erstwhile main of staff, told CBC's Power & Politics that the erstwhile curate had been diagnosed with lymphoma and leukemia earlier this year.

"He fought a abbreviated but precise hard conflict with 2 precise uncommon types of cancer," Roy told big David Cochrane.

"Although his diagnosis was lone a mates of months ago, helium was good until 4 oregon 5 weeks ago. So it went very, precise rapidly … it's a very, precise pugnacious loss."

Roy said Garneau lone shared his diagnosis with a tiny ellipse that agreed to respect his privation for privacy.

"[It was] thing helium wanted to support with his household truthful helium could ore connected his clip with his household and not distract his household by the attraction it could person gotten," Roy said.

WATCH | It's a tragic loss,' says erstwhile main of staff:

‘It’s a tragic loss:’ Ex-chief of unit remembers Marc Garneau | Power & Politics

Former astronaut and furniture curate Marc Garneau died connected Wednesday. Marc Roy, erstwhile communications manager and main of unit for Garneau, joins Power & Politics to stock his memories of moving with him, saying helium was struck by Garneau's humility and humanity. ‘He was driven by a tendency to contribute, to marque Canada a amended spot and to springiness backmost arsenic overmuch arsenic helium could,’ Roy said.

Beyond his bequest arsenic an astronaut, Garneau held a fig of national furniture positions since 2015, including successful transport and overseas affairs.

Roy said Garneau was "tremendous" to enactment for arsenic helium reflected connected his clip successful politics.

"It's a immense nonaccomplishment to government. I deliberation that his years successful Ottawa are filled with galore contributions to improving information and expanding policy. I deliberation helium volition beryllium remembered for that for decades to come," Roy said.

MPs wage homage to erstwhile colleague

The House of Commons held different infinitesimal of soundlessness for Garneau connected Thursday and MPs took clip to wage tribute to their erstwhile colleague.

"He reminded america that Canadians tin imagination big, that we could purpose for the stars rather literally," Government House person Steve MacKinnon said.

"He became a almighty awesome of the accomplishment and the accomplishment of this large state of ours."

Like MacKinnon, different MPs reflected connected however Garneau inspired Canadians.

"Mr. Garneau, the aboriginal volition ever beryllium inspired by your life, which was truthful inspiring for each Canadians," Conservative MP Gérard Deltell said successful French.

WATCH | Garneau's 'extraordinary ride':

Marc Garneau’s ‘extraordinary ride’ done space, beingness and politics

Chief governmental analogous Rosemary Barton speaks with erstwhile Liberal curate of overseas affairs and Canada’s archetypal astronaut Marc Garneau, astir his beingness connected this satellite and extracurricular of it: being the archetypal Canadian astronaut, his governmental vocation and his narration with the premier minister.

Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Fortin said Garneau paved the mode for different Canadians to travel to space, including Chris Hadfield and Julie Payette.

"He showed america the mode to the stars," Fortin said successful French.

Fighting backmost tears, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said it was hard to accidental goodbye to "someone who was unfailingly benignant [and] unfailingly respectful."

"We've mislaid a precise large quality being, and to his full family: my deepest condolences and sympathy — and cognize that successful that abstraction wherever helium looks down astatine satellite Earth now, I deliberation it's a spot called heaven."